Devices and methods for setting the contact pressure of a displaceably mounted roller

ABSTRACT

A device is used to set a contact pressure between a displaceable roller and another roller or for moving the displaceable roller with respect to the other roller. At least one actuator is subjectible to the action of a pressure medium and presses the displaceable roller toward the other roller with an adjustable force. The pressure of the pressure medium can be adjusted by a valve. A switchover device is provided for use in connecting the valve to different actuators, as desired.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This U.S. patent application is the U.S. national phase, under 35 U.S.C.371, of PCT/DE2003/002946, filed Sep. 5, 2003; published as WO2004/028810A1 on Apr. 8, 2004, and claiming priority to DE 102 44 046.8,filed Sep. 21, 2002, the disclosures of which are expressly incorporatedherein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to devices and to methods for settingthe contact pressure of a displaceably seated roller. The contactpressure, or a spacing distance between the displaceable roller and asecond roller is variable by the use of the actuator that can be chargedwith a pressure medium.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A plurality of rollers are contained in generally conventional printingpresses, such as web-fed rotary printing presses, for example. Inkingrollers, in particular, are provided in such presses, which inkingrollers are used for transferring ink from an ink reservoir to the platecylinder. It is possible to meter the ink that is transferred to theplate cylinder by the inking rollers, so that the ink is beingtransferred as a uniform film of a defined thickness. Because of this,it is possible to compensate for interferences, such as for example,fluctuations in speed and rotary vibrations.

Dampening rollers can also be provided. These dampening rollers transfera dampening agent, for example water, to the printing group.

Pairs of rollers are often formed by rollers which are in engagementwith each other. At least one of the rollers in the pair has a cylindersurface made of an elastic material, so that this cylinder surface canbe deformed at least slightly, depending on the contact pressure exertedon it by the roller opposite it. As a result, a contact area, whichextends in a straight line between the rollers, and which is called acontact strip, appears because of the elastic deformation of the rollersurface. The circumferential width of the contact strip can be varied byadjusting the contact pressure between the rollers. The width of thiscontact strip has a considerable effect on the print result. If, forexample, the contact strip in an inking unit is too narrow, not enoughink is being transferred. In cases in which the contact strips are toowide, the elastic roller can be damaged by the kneading effect occurringbecause of this excessively wide contact strip.

To be able to always correctly adjust the strip width, in particular asa function of the press operating conditions, for example thetemperature of the printing presses or their degree of wear, it isnecessary to seat one of the rollers displaceably. This displaceablyseated roller can be pushed, by an actuator, with an adjustable force,in a direction toward the opposite roller. Once the correct contactpressure between the two rollers has been found, a fixation device foruse in fixing the first roller in place, with respect to the secondroller, is operated to maintain the contact pressure permanently.

A device for setting a contact pressure between two rollers is knownfrom DE 197 19 305 A1. By use of the seating arrangement described inthat document, the displaceably seated roller is pressed against theopposite roller by a spring, which spring is supported on the frame ofthe printing press. Because of this spring-biased roller displacement, adefined contact pressure between the two rollers always occurs as afunction of the respectively selected characteristic curve of thespring. A clamping mechanism, with a clamping lever and with a clampingplate, and useable for fixing the roller in the pressed-on place, isdescribed, by the use of which clamping mechanism the roller shaft canbe fixed in place on the frame of the printing by a frictionalconnection.

A device for the semi-automatic adjustment of rollers is known from DE199 19 733 A1. An adjustably seated roller is maintained in a rollerholder, which, in turn, is seated in a frame holder that is fixedlyarranged on the frame. In this case, the roller holder and the frameholder can be displaced, in relation to each other, and are connectedwith each other by a spring-elastic assembly. The spring-elasticassembly here has a defined prestress, so that the roller, which isdisplaceably seated on the roller holder, can be pressed against theopposite roller with a defined contact pressure. Arresting bolts areprovided for use in fixing the roller holder in place on the frameholder, and by whose advancement, the roller holder can be clamped, in africtionally connected manner, on the frame holder.

DE 38 08 142 A1 describes a device for seating two cylinders. In thiscase, a contact pressure between two rollers, which two rollers can beplaced against and away from each other, can be changed by altering thepressure of a pressure medium. A switching device is also provided, byuse of which, the pressure medium can be selectively conducted todifferent actuators.

DE-OS 16 11 303 discloses a device for bringing a printing cylinder of arotogravure press into and out of contact. A pressure reduction valve isprovided.

Inking rollers are known from U.S. Pat. No. 2,774,301 and GB 1 213 935.These rollers can be brought into contact by the use of actuators whichare operated by a pressure medium. Here, a valve for setting the levelof the pressure and at least one shut-off valve are provided.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is directed to providing devices andmethods for setting a contact pressure of an adjustably seated roller.

In accordance with the present invention, this object is attained by theprovision of a device for setting the contact pressure between adisplaceably seated first roller and a second roller. At least oneactuator, which is chargeable with a pressure medium, is utilized. Twovalves can be used to form two different contact pressures. Theoperation of the actuator can take place in a timed manner. If thesecond roller has a break in its surface, the contact between therollers takes place at a defined angular position of the second roller.The movement of the one roller takes place at a low number of rollerrevolutions or speed. Selectively actuatable fixation devices can beused to hold selected rollers in position.

The actuator, which is useable for setting the contact pressure of thedevices, is embodied in the manner of a pressure body, which pressurebody can be charged with a pressure medium, such as a precompressed gas,and in particular compressed air. Valves are provided for use inadjusting the pressure of the pressure medium in order to be able to setthe contact pressure. Since a multitude of adjustable rollers isprovided in a typical dampening unit or inking unit, normally a numberof valves corresponding to the number of actuators would be required,which larger number of valves means a large outlay in technicalapparatus. This large outlay is avoided by providing a switching device,by the use of which switching device, the control valves can beselectively connected with different actuators. This means that theadjustable rollers cannot all be adjusted at the same time. Instead,only those actuators, which are connected with the control valves viathe switching device, can be operated. Depending on the configuration ofthe inking unit or the dampening unit, a few valves are sufficient foruse in adjusting the entire inking or dampening unit, by the use ofwhich few valves, the contact pressure of the different adjustablerollers can be set.

In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, onlytwo valves are provided, by the use of which two valves the pressureexerted on two actuators, at an adjustable roller, can be setsimultaneously. The process for setting the different adjustable rollersis performed in such a way that one adjustable roller is adjusted byoperating the two valves and, following the adjustment of that oneroller, the setting of that roller is fixed by operating a suitablefixation device. Following this fixation, the adjustment of the nextadjustable roller can follow.

In accordance with the method of the present invention, an angularposition of the second roller, against which the first roller can bepressed with an adjustable contact pressure, is determined. Bycontrolling this angular position of the second roller, it is possiblethat the pressing, or the placement of the adjustable roller is thenperformed only in defined positions of the second roller.

This type of control of the pressure is important particularly inconnection with forme cylinders on whose circumference fasteningassemblies, for use in fastening the printing plates on the formecylinder, are provided. If the adjustment or the bringing into contactof the adjustable rollers is performed at an angular position in whichthe adjustable roller comes to rest on the fastening device of the formecylinder, the adjusted values are distorted because of the changeddiameter of the forme cylinder in the area of the fastening device. Thisdistortion can be avoided by controlling the angular position of thesecond roller.

In accordance with a further preferred embodiment of the presentinvention, the setting of the contact pressure and/or the placement ofthe first roller against the second roller takes place duringsimultaneous rotation of both of the rollers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Preferred embodiments of the present invention are represented in thedrawings and will be described in greater detail in what follows.

Shown are in:

FIG. 1, a schematically represented device, in longitudinal section, andin accordance with the present invention, for setting a contact pressurebetween two rollers, in

FIG. 2, a schematic cross-sectional view of the device, in accordancewith the schematic representation in FIG. 1, in a base position, in

FIG. 3, a view similar to FIG. 2 and with the device, in accordance withthe schematic representation in FIG. 1, in a deflected position, in

FIG. 4, the device in accordance with FIG. 1 in a perspective frontview, in

FIG. 5, a cross-sectional view of a second preferred embodiment of anactuator for a device in accordance with the present invention, in

FIG. 6, an inking unit with several adjustable rollers adapted forplacement against a forme cylinder, and in

FIG. 7, a switching device for the selective switching of two valvesbetween different actuators.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring initially primarily to FIG. 1, there may be seen a devicegenerally at 20, for setting the contact pressure between a first roller21 and a second roller 22 in accordance with the present invention. Thefirst roller 21 can be releasably fastened, by the end of its shaft 23,or its journal, at a quick-release locking device 24 provided on thedevice 20. Such quick-release locking devices are generally known fromthe prior art and typically have a semi-circular bearing shell, intowhich semi-circular shell the ends of the shaft 23 can be placed. Byfastening an upper bearing shell, which is not specifically representedin FIG. 1, the shaft 23 can be fixed in place in the quick-releaselocking device 24.

The contact pressure setting device 20 is substantially put togetherfrom a frame holder 26 and a roller holder 27, which frame and rollerholders 26 and 27, respectively can be displaced, in relation to eachother, in an actuating plane that is extending perpendicularly, withrespect to the drawing plane. The frame holder 26 is comprised of a baseplate 28, which can be pivotably fastened, for example by the use of apivot arm, on the frame of a printing press, and a sleeve body 29. Onits side facing the roller 21, the sleeve body 29 has a recess 31, whichis sized to be engaged by a cylinder-shaped section 32 of the rollerholder 27. The interior diameter of the sleeve body recess 31, or theexterior diameter of the cylinder-shaped section 32 have been selectedsuch that, in the base position depicted in FIG. 1, acircular-cylindrical, annular gap 33 of a gap width of fromapproximately 1 mm to 10 mm, and in particular a gap width ofapproximately 2 mm, results. The maximum actuation range, for displacingthe roller holder 27 relative to the frame holder 26, is defined by thesize of the gap 33.

In order to be able to accomplish the actuation movement which isrequired for adjusting the first roller 21, or in order to obtain thedesired contact pressure between the first roller 21 and the secondroller 22, a total of four actuators 34, of which only two are shown insection in FIG. 1, and which are embodied in the form of pressure hoses34, are arranged in the gap 33. These four actuators 34 are evenlydistributed over the circumference of the annular gap 33. By the use offeed lines 48 which are not represented in FIG. 1, but which are shownin FIG. 4, pressure chambers 36, which are constituted by the walls ofthe actuators 34, can be charged with a fluid medium under pressure.Depending on the respective relative pressure conditions in the fourpressure chambers 36 of the four actuators 34, a resulting force acts onthe roller holder 27. The roller 21 can thus be pressed, with thedesired contact pressure, against the roller 22 by an appropriatecontrol of the pressure in the actuators 34. Since the air cushion,which is under pressure in the pressure chambers 36 of the fouractuators 34, is compressible, it is possible, by use of the resultingspring effect, to intercept mechanical interferences.

To fix the roller holder 27 in place, relative to the frame holder 26,plate elements 37 are fastened on the roller holder 27. These rollerholder plate elements 37 are arranged to mesh with cooperating plateelements 38 fastened on the sleeve body 29, thus forming a multi-diskpacket. For clamping the multi-disk packet formed from the plateelements 37 and 28 in a frictionally connected manner, a T-shapedplunger 39 is provided. Plunger 39 includes a circular plunger head 40which is provided with a plunger head circular flange 41 that isengageable against an outermost plate element 37 or 38 of the multi-diskpacket. A pressure plate 42 is fastened on the end of the plunger 39opposite the circular flange 41, and on which pressure plate 42 thespring force of a spring element 43, which is embodied in the manner ofa plate spring package 43, acts. The spring element 43 is mounted,prestressed, between the pressure plate 42 and the sleeve body 29. Themulti-disk packet constituted by the plate elements 37 and 38 is therebyclamped, by the spring force, which is transmitted from the plunger 39to the plate elements 37 and 38.

To displace the roller holder 27 relative to the frame holder 26, inparticular when adjusting the contact pressure between the rollers 21and 22, the fixation device, which is constituted by the plate elements37 and 38, or by the plunger 39 and the pressure plate 42, must bereleased. For this purpose, a pressure connector 44 is provided in thebase plate 28. A pressure chamber 46, formed between the pressure plate42 and the base plate 28, can be charged with a pressure medium, suchas, for example, compressed air which is introduced into the pressurechamber 46 through the pressure connector 44. As soon as the airpressure in the pressure chamber 46, and acting on the pressure plate42, exceeds the spring force of the spring element 43, the plunger headcircular flange 41 of the plunger 39 is lifted off the outermost plateelement 37 or 38. These plate elements 37 and 38 are no longer clampedin a frictionally connected manner and can be displaced in relation toeach other.

Adjustment of the contact pressure between the rollers 21 and 22 takesplace, for example, in the following manner. First, the pressure chamber46 is charged with sufficient pressure, through the pressure connector,so that the plate elements 37 and 38 are no longer clamped in africtionally connected manner. Subsequently, the actuators 34 are eachcharged with just enough pressure that the desired contact pressurebetween the rollers 21 and 22, or between the roller 21 and furtherrollers, which are not specifically represented in FIG. 1, is formed.This results in a contact strip of the desired width being formedbetween the cooperating rollers. As soon as the desired setting, withthe desired contact pressure between the rollers 21 and 22 has beenfound, the pressure in the pressure chamber 46 is released. The plunger39 then clamps the plate elements 37 and 38 together as soon as theroller holder 27 has been fixed in the desired position relative to theframe holder 28. Lastly, the pressure in the actuators 34 is released.

The operative principle of the device 20 during the required actuatingmovement is represented, in a schematic manner, in FIGS. 2 and 3. FIG. 2shows the frame holder 26 with the recess 31 and the section 32 of theroller holder 27 engaging it. By the selection of the appropriatedimensions, a gap 33 is formed between the frame holder 26 and thesection 32 of the roller holder 27, in which gap 33 the actuators 34,only represented by force arrows in FIGS. 2 and 3, are arranged. Thepossible actuating movements between the frame holder 26 and the rollerholder 27 are defined by an actuating plane which, in the representationshown in FIGS. 2 and 3, extends in the drawing plane. The actuatingrange of the actuating movements is limited by the width of the gap 33.

As represented, by way of example in FIG. 3, the roller holder 27, andtherefore, as a consequence, the roller 21 fastened to it, can belaterally displaced in relation to the frame holder 26, which lateraldisplacement is accomplished by an appropriate triggering of theactuators and the resultant force effect on the roller holder section32. As soon as the desired position of the roller holder 27, in relationto the frame holder 26, has been found, the fixation device constitutedby the plate elements 37 and 38, or by the plunger 39 and the pressureplate 42, can be actuated, so that the position is permanently fixed andthe actuators 34 need no longer be driven.

In FIG. 4, the contact pressure setting device 20, with the base plate28, is represented in a perspective front view. The sleeve body 29 isfastened by the use of four fastening screws 47 on the base plate 28,schematically represented in FIG. 1. Four actuators 34, which can becharged with compressed air via feed lines 48 and which are all embodiedin the form of pressure hoses 34, are arranged between the sleeve body29 of the frame holder 26 and the roller holder 27, on whose forwardoriented side, the half-shell-shaped quick-release locking device 24 canbe partially seen, as shown in FIG. 1. The recognizable plate elements37 and 38 can be relaxed by operation of the pressure plate 42.

The extraordinarily compact construction of the device 20 can beappreciated which device 20, because of its entirely rotationallysymmetrical design, except for the base plate 28, has a smaller diameterthan the roller 21 itself, as may be seen in FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 shows, in cross-section, a second preferred embodiment of anactuator 50 for a device 20 in accordance with the present invention.The basic structure of the device 20, with a frame holder 26, a rollerholder 27 and a fixation device for fixing the roller holder 27 in placerelative to the roller holder 26 corresponds to the constructiondescribed in FIG. 1 and therefore need not be further explained inconnection with this second preferred embodiment. A cylinder-shapeddiaphragm 51, whose proximal and distal edges are connected with theinterior diameter of the sleeve body 29, which is not specificallyrepresented in FIG. 5, is arranged in the gap 33 to constitute theactuator 50. Moreover, the diaphragm 51 is connected, in four axiallyextending strip-shaped areas 52, with the interior diameter of thesleeve body 29, such as, for example by being glued in, so that, as aresult, four pressure chambers 53 are formed by the sleeve body 29 andthe diaphragm 51, which four pressure chambers 53 are evenly distributedover the circumference of the gap 33. The pressure chambers 53 can eachbe charged with compressed air via pressure inlet openings 54 so that,as a function of the respective pressure in the four pressure chamber53, a resultant force acts on the section 32 of the roller holder 27.

An inking unit 56 is represented in FIG. 6, by the use of which,printing ink can be transferred from a roller 57 to a roller 22 aembodied in the manner of a forme cylinder 22 a. Five adjustable rollers21 a, 21 b, 21 c, 21 d, 21 e are provided in the inking unit 58 fortransferring the printing ink from roller 57 to forme cylinder 22 a. Theends of the adjustable rollers 21 a to 21 e are each seated in contactpressure setting devices 20, which is indicated in FIG. 6 by thecorresponding actuators 34.

Also, four or five rollers 21 a, 21 b, 21 c, 21 d, 21 e, for example adampening application roller and three or four ink application rollers,can be placed against the forme cylinder 22 a.

The rollers 21 a, 21 c, 21 e can be placed against the roller 22 a bythe corresponding actuators 34 being charged with pressure. Afterbringing the rollers 21 a, 21 c, 21 e into contact, the contact pressurebetween the various rollers 57, 21 a to 21 e, 22 a can be adjusted bycharging the various actuators 34 at the rollers 21 a to 21 e withpressure.

One or several plate end fastening devices 58 or axially extendingcylinder channels or breaks 58 are provided on the roller 22 a, whichfastening devices or breaks 58 are, in particular, structured in theform of a gap 58. The front or the rear edges of a printing plate can befixed in place in the fastening device 58, which is thus used forfastening the printing plate on the roller 22 a. The angle of rotationof the roller 22 a is detected by a sensor, which is not represented,and this position is passed on to a control device. When placing therollers 21 a, 21 c, 21 e against roller 22 a, or when setting thecontact pressure of these rollers 21 a, 21 c, 21 e against roller 22 a,the respective angle of rotation of the roller 22 a is taken intoconsideration in order to prevent, in this way, the rollers 21 a, 21 c,21 e resting against, or contracting the break 58 when being broughtinto contact, or when adjusting the contact pressure. The adjustment ofthe rollers 21 a to 21 e, or their being placed against the roller 22 a,can also take place with the printing group rotating and with the roller22 a rotating. The adjustment of the contact pressure and/or theplacement of the first rollers 21 a to 21 e against the second roller 22a, takes place at low numbers of rotation, in particular at speeds offrom 3,000 to 5,000 revolutions/h.

A switching device 59, as represented in FIG. 7, is suitable forcontrolling the totality of 20 actuators at the adjustable roller 21 ato 21 e on one side. The switching device 59 is shown schematically inFIG. 7, and will be briefly explained in what follows.

A pressure medium, such as, for example, compressed air, can be taken,at a sufficiently high pressure level, from a pressure reservoir 61. Thepressure medium flows via two valves 62, 63, in particular two pressurecontrol valves 62, 63, into two separate pressure chambers 64, 66. Aspecific pressure level prevails in each of the separate pressurechamber 64, 66 as a function of the respective position of the pressurecontrol valves 62 and 63. The pressure set in each of the two separatepressure chambers 64 or 66 can be transmitted to the actuators 34associated with each such pressure chamber 64, 66 via pressure lines 67assigned to each actuator 34.

Switching of the switching device 59 takes place in a clocked or timedmanner. The length of a time pulse, for adjusting an adjustable roller21 a to 21 e of the inking unit 56 or the dampening unit, is from 0.1 to2 seconds, and, in particular, is 0.5 seconds.

Blocking arrangements, which are not specifically represented in FIG. 7,and which may be, for example, check valves, are provided in theswitching device 59, so that it is selectively possible to block variousones of the pressure lines 67 connected to the pressure chambers 64 and66. If the contact pressure is now to be set at an adjustable roller 21,all of the pressure lines 67 leading to the actuators 34 for otherroller 21, and not required for the adjustment of the selected roller21, are blocked. The result of this is that the air pressure set bymeans of the pressure control valves 62, 63 is only transmitted to thoseactuators 34 which are involved in the adjustment of the respectivelydesired roller 21. Following the adjustment of this roller 21, theresultant contact pressure is set or held by operating the associatedfixation device. The next adjustable roller 21 can be then adjusted byswitching the switching device 59 to open the valves associated withthat roller 21.

The following alternative is possible in place of the switching device59 with its blocking arrangement.

The air pressures set by the two pressure control valves 62, 63 aresimultaneously present at the actuators 34, 50 of several adjustingdevices. An adjustment of the contact pressure takes place only atadjustment devices whose fixation device is opened.

The placement of the roller 21, 21 a, 21 b, 21 c, 21 d, 21 e, to be putinto contact with the surface area of the second roller 22, 22 a takesplace, in relation to the circumferential direction, at a distance ofless than 20 mm from the leading end of the break 58.

Setting the contact pressure means that the contact pressure, in thestate where the roller is placed against, or in contact with, anotherroller, can be changed prior to it being brought into such contact. Inthe contacted state, the surface pressure of the roller can be changed,in addition to the roller being moved to the disengaged state.

While preferred embodiments of devices and methods for setting thecontact pressure of a displaceably mounted roller, in accordance withthe present invention, have been set for fully and completelyhereinabove, it will be apparent to one of skill in the art that variouschanges in, for example the overall sizes of the rollers, the source ofthe pressure medium, and the like can be made without departing from thetrue spirit and scope of the present invention which is accordingly tobe limited only by the appended claims.

1-47. (canceled)
 48. A device for setting a contact pressure between adisplaceably seated first roller and at least one second roller of aprinting press comprising: at least first and second actuators in eachof several of said displaceably seated first rollers, each said actuatorbeing adapted to move its associated one of said displaceably seatedfirst rollers toward said at least one second roller; a source of fluidunder pressure; at least first and second valves between said source offluid under pressure and said at least first and second actuators, saidfirst and second valves being adapted to provide first and seconddifferent contact pressures; and a switching device adapted toselectively connect said first and second valves with actuators ofselected ones of said several displaceably seated first rollers.
 49. Thedevice of claim 48 wherein each said valve is a flow control valve. 50.The device of claim 48 wherein said several displaceably seated firstrollers are provided in one of an inking unit and a dampening unit andwherein said contact pressure is set by switching said switching device.51. The device of claim 48 further including means for sequentiallyswitching said switching device to adjust a contact pressure betweeneach of said several displaceably seated first rollers and said at leastone second roller.
 52. The device of claim 48 wherein said switchingdevice is operable in a timed manner.
 53. The device of claim 52 whereina length of a timed pulse for said switching device operable in saidtimed manner is between 0.1 and 2 seconds.
 54. The device of claim 53wherein said timed pulse is 0.5 seconds.
 55. The device of claim 48further including a fixation device associated with each of saiddisplaceably seated first rollers.
 56. The device of claim 48 furtherincluding a roller holder for each said displaceably seated firstroller, and a frame holder for each said roller holder, each said rollerholder having a section, each said frame holder having a recess, saidsection being positionable in said recess and defining a gaptherebetween, said actuator being located in said gap.
 57. The device ofclaim 56 wherein said roller holder section and said frame holder recessare rotationally symmetrical and said gap is annular.
 58. The device ofclaim 48 wherein each said displaceably seated first roller has alongitudinal axis and wherein said recess and said section extendcoaxially with said first roller longitudinal axis.
 59. The device ofclaim 58 wherein said gap has a circular width of between 1 mm and 10mm.
 60. The device of claim 56 wherein said displaceably seated firstroller has a first diameter and said frame holder has a second diameterless than said first diameter.
 61. The device of claim 48 furtherincluding four of said actuators in each of said displaceably seatedfirst rollers.
 62. The device of claim 48 wherein said fluid underpressure is a compressed gas.
 63. The device of claim 56 wherein eachsaid actuator is a pressure hose arranged in said gap.
 64. The device ofclaim 63 further including four of said pressure hoses arranged evenlyspaced in said gap.
 65. The device of claim 56 wherein said actuator isa pressure-resistant diaphragm in said gap and secured to said frameholder to define a pressure chamber and further including at least onepressure inlet opening in said frame holder.
 66. A device for setting acontact pressure between an adjustably seated first roller and at leastone second roller of a printing press comprising: at least one actuatoradapted to move said first roller toward said second roller; meanssupplying a pressure medium to said at least one actuator; and means foroperating said at least one actuator in a timed manner.
 67. The deviceof claim 66 wherein a length of a timed pulse of said at least oneactuator operating in a timed manner is between 0.1 and 2 seconds.
 68. Amethod for setting a contact pressure between a displaceably seatedfirst roller and at least a second roller of a printing press including:providing at least one actuator; using said at least one actuator forpushing said at least one first roller against said second roller;providing a break in a surface of said second roller; and contactingsaid first roller against said second roller at a defined angularposition on said second roller outside said break.
 69. The method ofclaim 68 further including providing a plurality of said displaceablyseated first rollers and placing said plurality of first rollers againstsaid second roller outside said break.
 70. The method of claim 68further including providing said second roller as a forme cylinderhaving a plate fastening device, and adjusting said contact pressurebetween said displaceably seated first roller and said forme cylinderwhen said first roller is out of contact with said plate fasteningdevice.
 71. The method of claim 68 further including rotating said firstroller and adjusting said contact pressure while said first roller isrotating.
 72. The method of claim 71 further including rotating saidfirst roller at between 3,000 and 5,000 revolutions per hour.
 73. Themethod of claim 68 further including contacting said second roller withsaid first roller at a circumferential distance of less than 20 mm fromsaid break.
 74. A method for setting a contact pressure between adisplaceably seated first roller and at least a second roller of aprinting press including: providing at least one actuator; using said atleast one actuator and pushing said first roller with an adaptable forcetoward said second roller; and adjusting said contact pressure at anumber of revolutions of said first and second rollers of between 3,000to 5,000 revolutions per hour.
 75. A method for setting a contactpressure between displaceably seated first rollers and at least a secondroller of a printing press including: providing at least one actuator ineach of said first rollers; using said at least one actuator and pushingeach said first roller, with an adjustable force, toward said secondroller; providing a break in a surface of said second roller; providinga fixation device in each of said first rollers; and operating saidfixation device in one of said first rollers and not operating saidfixation device in another of said first rollers.
 76. The method ofclaim 75 further including first adjusting said actuators and thenoperating said fixation device.
 77. The method of claim 75 furtherincluding first operating said fixation device and then operating saidactuator.
 78. The method of claim 76 further including releasing saidfixation device.
 79. The method of claim 75 further including providingat least two actuators for each said first roller.
 80. The method ofclaim 79 further including causing one of said actuators to act in adirection of one of said first rollers and causing another of saidactuators to act in a direction of another of said first rollers. 81.The method of claim 79 further including using each of said at least twoactuators for providing different contact pressures.
 82. The method ofclaim 75 further including providing said second roller as a formecylinder and wherein an actuator in each said first roller contactingsaid forme cylinder is actuated.
 83. A method for setting a contactpressure between a displaceably seated first roller and at least asecond roller of a printing press including: providing at least oneactuator in said first roller; using said at least one actuator forpushing said first roller toward said second roller; providing a breakon a surface area of said second roller; providing a fixation device forfixing said first roller in place; and operating said actuator and saidfixation device simultaneously.
 84. A method for setting a contactpressure between a displaceably seated first roller and at least onesecond roller of a printing press including: providing at least oneactuator for pushing said first roller toward said second roller;providing said second roller as a forme cylinder having a break on acircumferential surface; providing another displaceably seated firstroller; and placing said at least two first rollers against said formecylinder offset in time.
 85. The method of claim 84 further includingproviding at least three of said displaceably seated first rollers. 86.The method of claim 84 further including providing at least four of saiddisplaceably seated first rollers.
 87. The method of claim 84 furtherincluding providing at least five of said displaceably seated firstrollers.
 88. A method for setting a contact pressure between adisplaceably seated first roller and at least one second roller of aprinting press including: providing at least one actuator for pushingsaid first roller toward said second roller with an adjustable force;supporting said first and second rollers for rotation; and adjustingsaid contact force during rotation of said first roller.
 89. The methodof claim 88 further including providing a plurality of said displaceablyseated first rollers, providing an actuator for each of said pluralityof first rollers and providing said second roller as a forme cylinder.